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No Bread Crumbs Required

In a previous Monday Muster’d post we talked about four key factors that help build relationships with your customers and drive sales. This week we discuss the importance of providing an intuitive website that’s easy for your customers to use.

Typically it’s good news when a customer has a “fairy tale” experience. Unless, that is, the experience is straight out of Hansel and Gretel, riddled with confusion, frustration, and abandonment.

If your website is difficult to navigate—leaving your customers feeling like they need a trail of virtual bread crumbs to find what they need—that may be just how your customers feel.

A key component to your website users’ experience is the user interface, the visual part of your site that determines how information is displayed. It’s critical that your site’s user interface meets the needs of your customers and potential customers.

Anticipate what your users need to accomplish. Determine why your target market visits your site. What are they looking for? What do they want to do? And don’t forget about what you want them to do. These actions are top priority, and should be easy to find and easy to complete.

Focus on what’s important. Use the tools you have available to highlight the highest priority content on your site. Use color, contrast, even space between items, to help site visitors immediately recognize what they’re looking for.

Keep it simple. No need to be fancy! Keep labels and instructions clear, and avoid clutter throughout your website.

Be consistent. Don’t stop after creating a powerful homepage, driving visitors deeper into your site only to wish they had bread crumbs to find their way out. Be consistent and thorough.

Purposeful and professional user interface design not only leads your customers and potential customers to what they need, but by providing value, leads you to increased sales. And everyone lives happily ever after.